White Whale Sighted Near New Zealand [PICS]

Watch out, Captain Ahab. A real-life Moby Dick has been spotted off of the coast of New Zealand.

A rare albino humpback was sighted on Sunday in Cook Strait, New Zealand by scientists with the Department of Conservation conducting an annual whale survey.

Researchers believe the whale is the famous humpback Migaloo, which has been spotted off of Australia before. Migaloo, whose name is Aboriginal for “white fella,” was seen swimming along a normal-colored humpback whale.

Researchers collected a skin sample from the whale using a specialized dart. If confirmed to be Migaloo, it will provide proof that humpbacks whale migrating to Australia also travel to New Zealand in greater numbers than previously believed.

Migaloo is only one of four white humpback whales that have been officially recorded, including two calves that researchers suspect may be Migaloo’s offspring. A white humpback whale was also photographed off the Norwegian coast in 2012.